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1、The progress of a human being through life might be thought of as mostly gradual changes from the cell to the grave. But if you wake up one morning, look in the mirror, and wonder when you suddenly grew so much older, you may not be imagining things. According to a recent research into the molecular (分子) changes associated with aging, humans experience two sharp lurches forward, one at the average age of 44 and the other at the average age of 60. "We're not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes," geneticist Michael Snyder of Stanford University explained.

Aging is complex, and associated with growing risks of diseases of all kinds. Snyder and his colleagues have been investigating the biology of aging to better understand what changes occur and how, in order to better ease and treat these diseases. To this end, they have been tracking a group of 108 adults, with ages spanning from 25 to 70, who have been donating biological samples every few months over several years. They noticed that in some conditions, such as Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease, risk doesn't rise gradually with time; it increases sharply after a certain age.

To see if they could identify related changes, the researchers decided to take a closer look at the biomarkers of aging. Each participant submitted an average of 47 samples over 626 days, with the longest-serving participant submitting 367 samples. This wealth of data resulted in more than 246 billion data points, which the researchers then processed, looking for patterns in the changes. Snyder and his colleagues noticed that around 81 percent of all the molecules they studied showed changes at two distinct stages. Changes peaked in the mid-40s, and again in the early 60s, with slight differences.

Despite their findings, the researchers note that their sample size is pretty small, and they tested limited biological samples. Future research could help dig further into this phenomenon, studying it in more detail, across a wider range of subjects, to better understand how the human body changes over time.

2、​​​​​​​Off the coast of Santa Barbara — Just yards from the Fish 1,a 22-foot research ship, a humpback whale about twice the size of the boat threw itself out of the water, sending shining droplets in a broken necklace of splash. In the other direction, a cargo ship, piled high with containers, crept closer.

Aboard the Fish 1, a slight figure whose face is wrinkled from years in the sun and saltwater, looked from one to the other. Ocean scientist Douglas McCauley wanted to see whether the near real-time detection system he and his colleagues had developed, Whale Safe, could prevent crashes between whales and ships in the Santa Barbara Channel. By collecting data from several sources, Whale Safe forecasts to ships the chances of meeting a whale and then grades shipping companies on whether they actually slow down during whale migrations.

"We can literally watch all of the ships in California and across the whole ocean; we are better positioned than ever before to try to track damage before it occurs," McCauley said, "We are in trouble if we don't do something different, and I realized that if I kept sticking my head literally underwater or stayed in the lab, these problems weren't going to fix themselves."

Humans have worked in the seas for centuries. But as development has intensified and the planet has warmed, the 43-year-old McCauley has dared to brave the gray area between scientific research and advocacy to try to fix these problems — or at least make them visible.

"One of Doug's notable qualities as a scientist is that he is keen to explore outside the box," said Benjamin Halpern, a professor of marine biology and ocean conservation who has worked with McCauley for about a decade. "He is a very creative thinker, and able to think differently about the solutions to problems and what kinds of research and science can help inform those."

3、From forgotten beaches, ancient castles to soaring desert dunes (沙丘), Morocco boasts the best locations for hiking, surfing, swimming and sleeping under the stars.

Anti-Atlas Mountains

Extending from the Atlantic coast to the edge of the Sahara and with a huge variety of terrain, the Anti-Atlas Mountains cater for even the most indecisive traveller. Above all, Anti-Atlas is agadir country (the word means wall). The landscape is dotted with these remarkable walls. Built from stone and clay, they were typically set on hilltops or cliffs to provide protection from attack.

The Mediterranean coast

Unlike Morocco's Atlantic coast, the country's Mediterranean coastline is a less well-known destination. Of all the beaches in this area, Plage Ihttpyen is the best. Hidden from view behind two enormous red cliffs east of Port Sidi Hsain, and accessible only by a steep rocky path, it's an incredible peaceful and picturesque spot, with crystalline waves lapping against the pebble shore and curious rock formations rising from the waves.

Agadir

Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, Agadir quickly became a booming trading post, growing rich on the profits of sugar and spices. In 1960, an earthquake destroyed most of the city and paved the way for its rebirth as a tourist resort. This is the place if you're seeking sun, sand and surf; the coastline around Agadir is the heartland of Morocco's surf scene and you don't have to look far to discover quieter surfing beaches.

Merzouga

Located at the edge of the Sahara's shifting sands, Merzouga has become one of the main desert centers for travellers. The drive there involves a dramatic journey over high mountains and remote river valleys, a panoraman (全景) outshone only by the view at the end of the road: the soaring dunes of Erg Chebbi stand in magnificence on the horizon. Climb to the top of the 150-metre-high dunes after the winter rains and you can gaze down on to Merzouga Lake, a watering hole frequented by a colony of flamingos (火烈鸟) and occasional camel herders.

4、听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。

5、听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

6、听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

7、听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

8、听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

9、What does the man want to know?

10、How much was the book?

11、What did the man do?

12、Why did the woman go to the Macy's again?

13、Where are the speakers now?

14、阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Mrs Parks finished one of her lessons, and although she had not performed any physical activity, she was out of breath. A sudden burning stomachache started, but she hoped her students wouldn't notice.

"You look pale, Mrs Parks. Are you all right?" a kid, Tony, asked. Mrs Parks started nodding, trying to explain everything was all right. But the words wouldn't come out. She became unconscious and fell down in front of her class, and there were red and blue lights, many adults, and the sounds of children crying.

"Will she be OK?" Mrs Parks heard a high voice but couldn't recognize who had said it. "Everything will be fine," she whispered, but an ambulance worker quieted her and put an oxygen mask on her.

"Tony, please. We'll see what we can do for Mrs Parks. All of you have to go back to class and listen to whatever Ms Hanson tells you," Mr Roberts, the headmaster, tried to demand Mrs Parks' students leave his office, but they wouldn't move. Tony and Hannah were at the front of the pack. They were told she needed surgery, and hospitals cost money.

"We need to raise money. Please help us, Mr Roberts," Hannah said, and all the kids nodded. "Kids, let's go back to the classroom and brainstorm together about helping Mrs Parks," Ms Hanson guided them back to the classroom. Ms Hanson instructed them to write special messages to her.

"A card is not enough to save Mrs Parks. She has to come back. She's the best teacher ever. We need a grown-up to help." Tony told his classmates during the break. All the kids were thinking hard, and suddenly, Asher spoke up, "My big sister is a senior in high school. Well, I think she can make a link on a website or something. Then we can raise the money we need and help Mrs Parks!"

All the classmates agreed and went home to tell their older brothers or sisters about this idea. Asher's big sister, Dianne, started an online group, and she made an Internet link immediately with her parents' approval.

注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右；

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

The link and the group were shared throughout the community quickly.

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Mrs Parks was back at school two months later.

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15、Lots of students are unsure about a variety of factors when they consider which college might represent a good fit for them, but they believe they know exactly what they want when it comes to college size.

. Here are a few of the less-obvious reasons a smaller school might be a good fit:

1. The professors actually do the teaching. Most small colleges only teach undergraduate degrees., and more importantly, graduate students won't be teaching any of your classes.

2. More focused and direct feedback (反馈). You've heard the expression "You're just a number." Think about the homework and tests that need to be graded in a class with 450 students. . But at small schools, class sizes are smaller, and professors will have more time to read a student's work.

3. Research chances. Students at small schools are able to develop relationships with professors more easily, since there is a smaller number of students. .

4. Less red tape. It's just easier to get things done at a small school. , and there are fewer regulations. One of the biggest frustrations (令人沮丧的事物) at large schools is that important classes become full quickly, forcing students to either take them over the summer or stay an extra term.

A. Small colleges may offer more sports activities

B. Professors and administrators have more flexibility

C. That means there aren't graduate students on campus

D. The size of a school really can change your experience

E. It's great to see students make a 180-degree turn after they visit some small colleges

F. Teachers there don't have much time to offer advice on every student's piece of work

G. Most professors know their students' names and count on them to take part in their research

16、In a world where the news frequently warns of approaching fresh water scarcity, a group of forward-thinking researchers are looking to the skies to find a solution. Dr. Michael Tam, a distinguished professor at the University of Waterloo, along with his brilliant students, Yi Wang and Weinan Zhao, is diving deep into nature's playbook.

"Water is efficiently captured by the web. The spider doesn't need to go to the river to drink, as it traps moisture (水分) from the air," Dr. Tam said. This revelation led to the exploration of how such natural phenomena could be replicated (复制) to address the global challenge of fresh water scarcity.

Furthermore, the Namib Desert beetle showcases another masterclass in nature's engineering. Despite living in one of the dry environments on the Earth, these beetles manage to obtain water from thin air. A textured body surface that captures water droplets from fog when they face into the wind. The collected moisture then accumulates and drips right into their mouths.

Tapping into the lessons offered by these natural wonders, Dr. Tam and his team are working one particularly promising technology termed "atmospheric water harvesting." To replicate the beetle's water-gathering method, Tam's team is developing a special surface that attracts small water droplets and quickly releases bigger ones.

But that's not all. Dr Tam's commitment to sustainability shines through in his choice of materials. Using zero-carbon materials, like plant-based substances, his team has developed an energy-efficient surface that captures atmospheric moisture.

The team's innovations don't stop there. Drawing inspiration from unique mushroom structures, they've designed smart structural systems for solar evaporation(蒸发). These systems effectively use solar energy, absorbing water and transforming it into fresh, collectible steam.

The potential impact of these fresh water generation systems is enormous. Not only are they cost-effective and energy-efficient, but they also represent the essence of environmental friendliness.

In a world increasingly bothered by water scarcity, the work of Dr. Tam and his team offers a ray of hope. By looking to nature's wonderful solutions, we're reminded that sometimes, the answers to our most pressing challenges have been right in front of us all along.

17、Many of the most damaging types of weather begin quickly, strike suddenly, and disappear rapidly, destroying small areas while leaving neighboring areas untouched. Such event as a tornado struck the northeastern part of Edmonton, Alberta, in July 1987. Total damages from the tornado went beyond $250 million, the highest ever for any Canadian storm.

Traditional computer models of the atmosphere have limited value in predicting short-lived local storms like the Edmonton tornado, because the available weather data are generally not detailed enough to allow computers to study carefully the slight atmospheric changes that come before these storms. In most nations, for example, weather-balloon observations are taken just once every twelve hours at places separated by hundreds of miles. With such limited data, traditional forecasting models do a much better job predicting general weather conditions over large areas than they do forecasting specific local events.

Until recently, the observation intensive method needed for exact, very short-range forecasts, or "Nowcasts," was not possible. The cost of equipping and operating many thousands of conventional weather stations was extremely high, and the difficulties concerned in rapidly collecting and processing the weather data from such a network were hard to overcome.

Fortunately, scientific and technological advances have overcome most of these problems. Radar systems and satellites are all able to make detailed, nearly continuous observation over large areas at a lower cost. Communications satellites can send out data around the world cheaply and immediately, and modern computers can quickly collect and analyze this large amount of weather information.

Meteorologists(气象学者) and computer scientists now work together to design computer programs and video equipment able to change weather data into words and graphic displays that forecasters can understand easily and quickly. As meteorologists have begun using these new technologies in weather forecasting offices, Nowcasting is becoming a reality.

18、82-year-old Gina Harris will become the oldest woman to cycle across Britain. From England, Gina plans to ride from Land's End, in Cornwall, to John O'Groats, in Scotland, to support Women's Aid and Refuge. The trip is hard, but Gina has set her mind to supporting the two charities after reading about the outstanding work they have done for women.

This year's International Women's Day theme is Break the Bias (偏见). Knowing that isn't enough, action is needed badly. Gina is taking action for women all over the world to show the importance of women. Gina shared, "I will ride my old bike and carry my luggage, which weighs over 30 kg. I won't complete the challenge until June 2022, so I have 3 months to practice with my son's great help. I have previously travelled by bicycle around Europe, so it won't be my first long cycle journey, but it will certainly be my last one."

Gina Harris, a former photographer, took up cycling at 50 and joined the Cycling UK to follow her passion for charities. Alan Head, former Secretary of the Cycling UK commented, "Gina Harris has cycled with the Cycling UK for many years. We wish her all the best in her attempt to raise money for women by cycling. Because public services aren't enough, the work of charities is important. "

Faye Connelly, Fundraising Manager at Women's Aid, said, "We are grateful to Gina for her incredible support, and we expect more people to follow her example. Gina's determination to raise as much as she can helps us reach more women and children."

19、Technology is the application(应用) of knowledge to production. Thanks to modern technology, we have been able to increase greatly the efficiency of our work force. New machines and new methods have helped cut down time and expense while increasing overall output. This has meant more production and a higher standard of living. For most of us in America, modern technology is thought of as the reason why we can have cars and television sets. However, technology has also increased the amount of food available to us, by means of modern farming machinery and animal breeding techniques, and has extended our life span via(通过) medical technology.

Will mankind continue to live longer and have a higher quality of life? In large measure the answer depends on technology and our ability to use it widely. If we keep making progress as we have over the past fifty years, the answer is definitely yes. The advancement of technology depends upon research and development, and the latest statistics(统计) show that the United States is continuing to pump billions of dollars annually(每年) into such efforts. So while we are running out of some scarce resources(少的资源) we may well find technological substitutes(代用品)for many of them through our research programs.

Therefore, in the final analysis the three major factors of production (land, labor and capital) are all influenced by technology. When we need new skills, on techniques in medicine, people will start developing new technology to meet those needs. As equipment proves to be slow or inefficient, new machines will be invented. Technology responds to our needs in helping us maintain our standard of living.

20、阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The Tomato Seedlings

Every spring, Mom and her two girls,12-year-old Mabel and 9-year-old Lila, turned their backyard into a tomato wonderland. "More seedlings(幼苗)than we can eat! Let's share them." Mom laughed that May, her hands caked in soil.

Mabel smiled, stuffing seedlings into recycled cups. For days, the sisters became tomato fairies, leaving plants on doorsteps across their Leeds neighborhood. Number 15 Park Street got one for her famous tomato jam. Number 16 received three.

Then came Number 17 Park Street.

The girls cycled past it daily—an old brick house hid behind weeds taller than Lila. Mom once said, "Some gardens grow food. Others grow miracles(奇迹)." "This one grows sadness," Lila whispered as they stopped their bikes that afternoon.

"That's Ms. Hart's place," Mom said later, cleaning tomato jam from Lila's cheek. "She used to grow prize-winning SunGold tomatoes, the sweetest... Then... well, some changes...She stopped gardening." Her voice softened.

The sisters exchanged looks. The next morning, they stood at Ms. Hart's gate with six tomato seedlings.

"Go away," came a voice from an upstairs window.

"We brought tomatoes!" Lila explained.

"I've no time for this nonsense!"

"They just need sun and water!" Lila stepped forward, her voice steady. "We'll do all the work! Just let us plant them here, please? Otherwise……" she held up a seedling, "they'll end up in the bin by Friday. They' re SunGold tomatoes! The sweetest ever!"

Silence. Ms. Hart's shadow shifted behind the curtain. Moments later, the old woman slid a basket onto the ground—inside was proper gloves and a trowel(铲子)with soil.

"Take that as a ‘yes'!" Lila whispered.

注意：

1. 续写词数应为150个左右;

2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。

The girls dived into work right away.

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The next day, when checking plants, the girls found Ms. Hart standing there.

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